


Hold on, I Still Need You

by Rays



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: M/M, Missing Scene, depressed quentin, fluff and little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 22:18:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16127879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rays/pseuds/Rays
Summary: After successfully stopping a war thanks to his engagement to King Idri, Eliot's woken from his sleep when Quentin returns to Fillory after setting Alice free. Missing scene between Lesser Evils and The Girl Who Told TIme.





	Hold on, I Still Need You

**Author's Note:**

> Something I wrote because I am forever bitter than we never got Quentin and Eliot, or anyone for that matter, talk about the fact that Eliot died to protect Quentin during the bank heist. So I fixed it. Enjoy!
> 
> Title comes from the song Hold On by Chord Overstreet

“What in the ever-loving fuck were you thinking?”

“Margo-”

“If you ever keep something like _that_ from us again, you are going to wish for a shit more than death!”

Raised voices from outside his room woke Eliot from a well-deserved rest after stopping a war and getting engaged. Sitting up, he saw that Fen was also awake, though he couldn’t tell if she’d been woken as he had or if she had never gone to sleep. She had a distant look in her eyes and Eliot felt the first pangs of guilt since he’d announced his engagement to King Idri. Even though she told him she was fine with the new arrangement, she had this strange look in her eyes since he returned and he hated feeling that he hurt her.

“What’s going on?” Eliot asked. Fen blinked and Eliot could see that she had never been to sleep in the first place.

“What?” She asked finally looking at him.

“Out there,” Eliot said pointing to the door. “Who’s Margo bitching at now?” Fen seemed to notice the noise for the first time and she shrugged. Eliot was about to say more when the door opened and he could see the outline of Quentin standing there.

“Quentin?” Eliot slipped out from under the covers, his hand flicking for the torches to light the room. Quentin took a few cautious steps inside and Eliot got a good look at him. He looked like shit; pale skin with dark eyes and way too thin. Eliot was surprised Quentin was standing, but he was staring at Eliot like he’d seen a ghost.

“You’re alive,” Quentin whispered.

“Jesus Q,” Eliot said rushing toward him. “What the hell happened to you?” He reached out a hand to steady him, but Quentin reached out faster and wrapped a cold hand around Eliot’s wrist.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Eliot said. “Are you?” Quentin let his hand drop and he looked down at himself. It seemed to dawn on him that he didn’t look all the healthy.

“It’s kind of a long story,” He mumbled and Eliot frowned. Something had been off with him at the bank. He’d been acting weirder than usual, which was saying a lot. Quentin was also a terrible liar and Eliot had planned on getting the truth out of him when they had finished, but then Eliot went and got himself killed instead.

“I’ll let you guys talk,” Fen said walking over to them, wrapping a robe around herself. Eliot almost forgot she was in the room and quickly stepped aside to let her pass, smiling apolgetically as she did.

“I’m sorry Fen,” Quentin said. He immediately looked guilty and seemed ready to leave himself when Fen held up a hand.

“It’s fine,” She said giving him a small smile. “I needed a walk anyway.” He nodded to her and she walked out the door, closing it behind her. Quentin looked at Eliot nervously.

“I think she’s still getting used to the engagement,” Eliot said. “Do you think I should get her a present? Like a throw pillow that says: Yes, your husband may be marrying a very handsome King but he still thinks you’re really special?” Quentin frowned and just a shade of his anxiety melted away from his face.

“I don’t think that’s a thing,” he said.

“Well, I’ll think of something,” Eliot said, then he took Quentin by the arm. “Now you can tell me what’s going on.” He pulled Quentin to the bed and plopped him down on it. Quentin took a deep breath; then he started talking.

Eliot listened as Quentin told him everything. All about Alice being in his back, or the niffin she had become. Quentin told him about the word as bond he’d made with her and all the things she did in his body. How having her there almost killed him and he had to let her go. He also told him how Julia had used him as bait for Reynard and Eliot felt anger rise in him and even Quentin’s excuse that Julia didn’t have her shade, so she didn’t know better didn’t calm that anger. But Eliot pushed it down to be dealt with later. Quentin finally ended that he had no idea what to do now that Alice was gone and there was nothing he could do for Julia. So he came back to Fillory and made his not so triumph return.

“Shit,” Eliot said as he took his flask back from Quentin. Eliot brought that out sometime between Quentin facing off a super niffin and Julia being a traitorous bitch. “That’s really fucked up.” Quentin nodded, the alcohol didn’t seem to be calming his nerves as Eliot had hoped. Quentin kept darting his eyes to Eliot and quickly looking away when Eliot tried to catch his eye.

“Yeah,” Quentin said and took the flask back from Eliot, taking a long drink from it. “It’s all been fucked up lately.” Quentin passed him back the flask and watched Eliot closely as he took a drink from it.

“Well, I think coming back to Fillory was the right choice,” Eliot said. “This way Margo and I can keep a better eye on you.” Eliot finally met Quentin’s eyes and found tears looking back him. “Q?” Quentin shook his head, that sad little smile he always got going across his face and ran a hand through his greasy hair.

“What were you thinking El?” Quentin asked hoarsely. “You could have died.” Eliot sat up a little straighter and set the flask on the bed between them. Eliot guessed it was his turn to explain things as well, but his story ended in an engagement which was a much more uplifting message than Quentin’s mess.

“Look,” Eliot said splaying his fingers on the bed. “I had an enchanted sword that, until magic stopped, was really working for me.” Quentin gave him an exasperated look and Eliot quickly went on. “And I stopped a war with the power of love Quentin! A war for fuck's sake.”

“El,” Quentin said.

“Okay,” Eliot said waving his head. “It wasn’t love as much extreme lust for a gorgeous man and some very lucky loopholes that no one was ever going to tell me about. Can you believe that? Everyone was just going to let me keep living my life not knowing that I also get to have a husband? I mean-”

“I wasn’t talking about that,” Quentin snapped, cutting Eliot’s rant about the fact he’d only just learned about Fillory’s thoughts on polygamy. “Back at the bank, what the fuck were you thinking?” Eliot frowned, not quite sure what Quentin expected him to say about that.

“I was thinking, gee it would really suck if one of my best friends died,” Eliot said. “What do you mean what was I thinking?” Back at the bank, those horrible seconds when Eliot realized that the battle magic was aimed right at Quentin, he didn’t have time to think about anything. He acted on pure instinct and it saved Quentin’s life and Eliot didn’t care about the rest. He’d been fine in the end anyway, so he didn’t see the reason to worry about it now.

“We couldn’t go back anymore,” Quentin reminded him as he stood up. All that nervous energy was coursing through him so much that Eliot could practically see it rolling off him as Quentin started to pace. “There was no coming back, did you forget about that?”

“I don’t really know,” Eliot admitted, watching Quentin carefully. “Quentin, I’m fine you know. I didn’t actually die.” Quentin gave him a pained look and Eliot felt a twinge of guilt with that. Margo told him about the dead golem that her and Quentin had to deal with. It looked like Eliot and he couldn’t imagine dealing well with that if it was Eliot and a golem of Quentin instead. “Okay, so I died, but I’m still fine Q. I know everything with Alice-” Eliot stopped when Quentin turned away, his back to Eliot as one hand went to his face and an arm wrapped around his middle.

“I think you need to get some sleep,” Eliot said softly. Quentin stayed where he was for a few more seconds while he got his emotions back under control.

“Don’t do that again,” Quentin said turning around, running a hand down his face.

“Do what?” Eliot asked. “Save your life?” Quentin’s expression changed, suddenly looking angry, he glared at Eliot.

“Try to throw yours away!” Quentin yelled. “This death wish thing of yours has got to stop Eliot. You’re the fucking High King! You have people who are counting on you; you’re about to be a father for fuck's sake! There are people here who love-” Quentin stopped himself, his hands coming up to his face and Eliot found himself glad for a moment not to have to look into his eyes.

There was a familiar stirring, almost like butterflies in his stomach, that Eliot had thought he’d successfully gotten over long ago. He felt it the first time he met Quentin and it only intensified the more they got to know each other. Eliot knew that if he weren’t careful he would fall head over heels for this nerd and that wasn’t something Eliot was going to allow himself to do. He reminded himself that a future where Eliot and Quentin lived happily ever after wasn’t going to happen and wishing it would only bring frustration.

Quentin was right. Eliot was a King now. He was married with a child on the way and about to have a husband. Getting caught up in these feelings for Quentin that had stubbornly lingered for much too long wasn’t something he could afford. It had taken a magic-induced threesome that brought him to this revelation once before and he couldn’t afford to slip backward now. No matter how his heart ached for this mess in front of him.

“Sleep actually does sound like a good idea,” Quentin finally said, his voice sounding strange in the silence that had fallen between them. Eliot nodded, not trusting his own voice for the moment. “I’m glad you’re not dead,” Quentin said stiffly then walked swiftly to the door.

“Quentin,” Eliot said, his own voice surprising him. Quentin looked back at him. Eliot thought about the bank that split second when he thought that Quentin was going to die, the fear and pain that it would have caused and for just this moment, Eliot let those feelings bubble up and he stood up and crossed the room to Quentin. “I’m not sorry for what I did because you don’t deserve to die.” Quentin didn’t look convinced and looked away, but Eliot grabbed the back of Quentin’s neck and forced him to look at him.

“El-”

“I mean that,” Eliot said firmly. “You don’t get to die either because there are people here that need you. There are people here that love you.” Quentin's eyes widened just a fraction and Eliot pulled Quentin to him. Kissing his lips softly, Eliot could feel Quentin’s confusion melt into acceptance and he kissed Eliot back. Eliot’s fingers threaded through the hairs on the back of Quentin’s neck and Quentin's hands came up to rest on Eliot’s hips, drawing them even closer together. Quentin parted his lips just enough to let Eliot’s tongue in and Quentin's arms wrapped fully around Eliot's body. Eliot could feel Quentin’s heart beating against his chest and his own felt like it was about to burst. He brought his hand to Quentin’s cheek, trying to ground them both and Eliot could feel they were teetering on the point of no return. He couldn’t let this go that far, not again. Somehow, Eliot pulled away and smiled at the way Quentin’s eyes had closed and he didn’t look so pale anymore. Quentin’s eyes fluttered open and he just gaped at Eliot, mouth dropped and everything, for a few moments.

“Okay,” Quentin finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Goodnight.” Eliot smiled. He’d be lying if he didn’t want to pat himself on the back just a little for getting this response from Quentin, but he tried to keep his triumph to himself.

“Goodnight,” Eliot said stepping away from the door. Quentin ran a hand down the front of him and gave his head a little shake before he scurried out of the room faster than Eliot could have guessed he’d be able to move in his condition.

Eliot was alone again; he didn’t know when or if Fen would be back tonight. Lying back against the cool pillows, Eliot flicked his hands and was enveloped in darkness. Quentin was back in Fillory and there was finally a semblance of peace happening. Eliot let himself, for just a moment, to finally be happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
